1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors and more particularly to controlling the coupling of a source of power to a standard receptacle while selectively blocking or permitting a standard plug to be connected to the receptacle.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is desirable to have devices to capture and hold plugs when they are inserted into receptacles. Some standards governing some electrical receptacles require the receptacle to be switched off when no plug is actually inserted into the receptacle and prevent power from being provided to the receptacle when no plug is inserted into the receptacle.
Various locking principles using diverse mechanisms between the switch and the receptacle have previously been proposed, such that the operation of the switch is conditional on the presence of a plug in the receptacle and mechanical locking of the plug in the receptacle when the receptacle is switched on. In most of these devices, specialized plugs and receptacles with attached locking mechanisms are used. In one device, electrical conductors are terminated in special connectors which permit locking to be carried out using special locks on both the plug and receptacle. However, connectors which are not of the required types cannot be joined. What is desired is an interlocking structure which allows a standard plug to be inserted into or removed from a standard receptacle only when the receptacle cannot connected to a source of power and to prevent the plug from being inserted into or removed from the receptacle when the receptacle can be connected to a source of power.
Some devices have provided a direct mechanical linkage extending from the receptacle to the switch in such a manner that insertion of the plug turns the switch “on” and removal of the plug turns the switch “off”.